SPRINGFIELD, Ky. — Washington County community members are still mourning after losing a major historical landmark. Late Tuesday night, a massive fire destroyed the Mt. Zion Covered Bridge.
What You Need To Know
- A late-night fire in Washington County destroyed a historic landmark and left a community in mourning
- The 150-year-old Mt. Zion Covered Bridge was destroyed by a fire on Tuesday
- Kentuckians are still reeling from the loss, heartbroken to see the structure that was central to a lifetime of memories reduced to ashes
- Police are still investigating the source of the blaze
“It means a lot. And the feller that done this, I hope we get you. I do. And if I ever hear of it, I guarantee you buddy you in trouble cause I’ll turn you in,” Danny Montgomery, a resident in Washington County said.
Montgomery is not the only one in the community upset and hurt about the fire that burned down the covered bridge. He said he has a lifetime of memories with the bridge and is heartbroken to see it in ashes.
“It can't be replaced, you know all of the names and stuff used to be carved in here. All the people it's traveled in,” Montgomery said.
Isabella Oakes said she remembers her prom pictures and hanging out under the covered bridge with friends. It was one of those places she could go to remember those in her community who have passed away.
“The people who have passed away or were in our community and are our age, they had spray painted their names there. And so, when it's gone it's like a big part of people who are gone too. It’s totally gone,” Oakes said.
County Judge Executive Tim Graves said state police are working on the investigation from Tuesday night's fire, but he will never understand why anyone would do this to a community.
“So much history, you know, it's been here for years. We grew up with it, generations and I would love to see my grandkids appreciate it, but that's not going to happen, because it's gone now. They can take a bridge away but they can't take the memories of the bridge away from us,” Graves said.
Mt. Zion Covered Bridge was one of 13 covered bridges left in Kentucky, and was over 150 years old. Graves said the bridge was a piece of history that can never be replaced.
“The only word I can say is sadness. To sum it all up I mean people are just heartbroken that this has been taken away from us,” he said.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call the Washington County Sheriff’’s Department.